Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Pakistan Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Pakistan

Name: Pakistan
Address: PK

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,643 in United States versus $392 in Pakistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $591 in Pakistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,070 in United States versus $790 in Pakistan.

Living in United States is roughly 574% more expensive than Pakistan on average.

United States (97% above) and Pakistan (71% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,343 to $5,081, compared to $287–$529 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$1.82 PKR 506

1001.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$12.25 PKR 3,409

520.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$4.27 PKR 1,188

167.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 PKR 1,136

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$1.77 PKR 493

204.52%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$0.34 PKR 93.3

650.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.23 PKR 64.2

786.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.77 PKR 214

35.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$0.56 PKR 155

551.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.22 PKR 340

287.70%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$1.21 PKR 337

261.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$5.68 PKR 1,579

124.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$3.00 PKR 835

314.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$4.29 PKR 1,193

282.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$1.02 PKR 284

431.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.62 PKR 174

166.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$0.77 PKR 213

496.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$0.49 PKR 138

902.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$0.35 PKR 98.2

734.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$0.48 PKR 134

552.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.38 PKR 106

494.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.36 PKR 99.7

538.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.91 PKR 532

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 PKR 304

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 PKR 557

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$1.96 PKR 546

404.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.15 PKR 42.98

1553.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$7.14 PKR 1,986

807.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$0.85 PKR 237

351.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.51 PKR 143

245.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$1.81 PKR 503

1589.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.90 PKR 249

6.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.5K $30.5K

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

74.88%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.4K $26.4K

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

9.90%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$204 $204

$110 PKR 30.7K

85.14%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$57.3 $57.3

$4.72 PKR 1,313

1113.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$15.34 PKR 4,268

364.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$13.40 PKR 3,728

248.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$8.53 PKR 2,374

159.32%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$4.31 PKR 1,199

221.11%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,384 $1,384

$38.86 PKR 10.8K

3460.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$1,143 PKR 318.1K

1885.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$15.81 PKR 4,398

235.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$23.47 PKR 6,529

83.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$72.0 PKR 20.0K

25.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$33.27 PKR 9,255

243.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$111 PKR 30.9K

1491.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$67.3 PKR 18.7K

2068.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$272 PKR 75.7K

941.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$167 PKR 46.5K

1343.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$983 PKR 273.3K

234.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$519 PKR 144.4K

410.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$185 PKR 51.5K

2267.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

18.97

-65.68%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,637 in United States, $78.0 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $2,591 in Washington, DC vs $198 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $4,500 in United States, $187 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1999% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 564% more in United States.

Public transport is 257% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 2306% higher in United States, giving United States stronger purchasing power.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

United States vs Pakistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $408 per month in Pakistan and $3,212 in United States, there's a 687% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Pakistan is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in United States beats Pakistan across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Pakistan, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In United States, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Pakistan wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.